I'm enjoying the cold weather up here in northeastern Minnesota, to be honest. Locals would probably tell me I haven't experienced the real cold weather yet but I felt pretty cool telling my "outside" friends when it hit -35°F static temp a couple weeks ago. Luckily it happened while i was snuggling under my down comforter in bed.

Anyway, I operate outside a lot in negative Fahrenheit temps snowblowing, splitting wood, and skiing. My current crop of gloves has really let me down and I've been getting the painful fingertips to the point where you think "is this frostbite starting?"

Dropped $150 on some Hestra Incline Pros a couple weeks ago, figuring they were the real deal Swedish gloves that wouldn't let me down but they aren't any better than my 15 year old $50 Dakine leather gloves.

What does a real dirtbag bush pilot flying frozen dog shit out of Yellowknife use on his mitts?

Relatively thin leather gloves, like driving gloves, with thin insulation of some sort. Then when you get out of the plane, you keep your hands warm in the beaver mitts than are hanging on lanyards around your neck...

I ski in the Hestra Heli gloves, and although they are well made and have held up I don't find them super warm. What I did like was that I could find a pair large enough for my hands. Nothing colder than a glove that is too small.

Honestly not tough enough to deal with anything below about -10. That's why I live on the wet coast and ski Europe.

For flying I pretty much do the same as Troy. For daily chores if it's too cold for gloves I like a single-layer leather mitten shell over a pair of hand-knit wool mittens that I've had for ages. Comparable to Dachstein boiled wool mittens. Add a pair of Ibex merino liner gloves if it's really cold. Biggest factor is probably a good hat, parka, bibs, whatever else it takes to support core heat- then your extremities aren't fighting such an uphill battle for blood flow. Also maintaining good calories and hydration.

I haven't used them myself, but my father-in-law just got a pair of the OR electric mittens for the holidays. He's spent north of 50 winters in the subarctic and he's pretty tickled with them.

-DP

In really cold weather, gloves should only be worn when you need that dexterity. Otherwise, as Troy said, you slip on your beaver mitts that are hanging around your neck. UNLESS, you're using an ice auger. Mitten strings are a no-no then.

Leather gloves with a fleece lining work well. They should have some space inside and not be too tight. They actually get warmer with use. I have a pair that are ten years old and worn almost every day around town at minus 30-40. My wife just keeps patching them up.

I have the Hestra Guide gloves (Lars Fält designed). They have a wool/Terry pile liner and are pretty warm (for gloves.) Maybe you can exchange your Hestras for those, or replace the liners. Mitts are always going to be warmer, but have other limitations.

Like Denalipilot said, tending to your core first and making sure that's nice and toasty will help with keeping the extremities warm as well, since your body prioritizes your core and brain over your fingers.

I carry 2-4 pair of gloves, and usually 2 pair of mittens. Thin mechanic gloves for quick work, set of regular leather gloves, wool/ insulated gloves down insulated leather gloves, fleece gloves. Medium and a heavy pair of mittens. I can do a lot of work in mittens and keep the heavy set for back up when I won't be using my hands. I try never to put a wet or snow covered hand into the mittens. That is why I have gloves and swap them out if they get wet. It is very easy to get frost bite touching cold metal with a bare hand so either warm the part or use a glove on cold metal.
DENNY

Thanks guys. I will try the leather mittens. For most tasks I've always worn just my Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch liners which in most cases are good enough down to about 15°F. I used to wear glove shells over them for skiing but at some point I lost my shells and have been using an insulated leather glove for skiing.

Vick (used to hang out here) gave me some Nomex+leather USAF pilot gloves one time, I think they are a size too small though. Little tight. I'm proud that they probably took a few rides in the Dragonlady though.

The rest of my ensemble is great. Always been well equipped from skiing but gloves remain a sore spot. Next step is to try the Power Stretch with a leather mitten. Will report back.

Surprised you didn't go in for the Give'r gloves- my feeds have been flooded by them lately. I almost did, but they were sold out. However I have since heard that they're over-hyped.

I used (when I lived in 6 mos of winter) mulitple sets of Kinco's. with elastic cuff to keep the snow out. Usually one set on the heater drying, or in my inner coat pockets.

You need to toughen your hands up Zane. Haha. We just went through a long stretch of -40C here and I never wore anything other then my insulated leather gloves. For snowmobiling/snowboarding I usually break out a set of Burton gloves that 8ve had for a long time, but they aren't great when it gets real cold. Mittens are the best when it gets cold, but I'm stubborn and can't stand mittens...

A1Skinner wrote:You need to toughen your hands up Zane. Haha. We just went through a long stretch of -40C here and I never wore anything other then my insulated leather gloves. For snowmobiling/snowboarding I usually break out a set of Burton gloves that 8ve had for a long time, but they aren't great when it gets real cold. Mittens are the best when it gets cold, but I'm stubborn and can't stand mittens...

Some of us have hands that do not say warm. Perhaps I have damaged my hands in the past, I can recall one time where my gloves were wet and they kept sticking to the tire chains as I tried to put them on. Finally I took off my gloves and did it bare handed, it was put on the chains or you don't get home. My fingers froze to the chains a couple of times, but not like the gloves. I eventually got home and started a fire in the wood stove. I was younger then. I'd like to think I'm smarter now, but sometimes you got to get it done to make it to tomorrow.

StillLearning wrote:

A1Skinner wrote:You need to toughen your hands up Zane. Haha. We just went through a long stretch of -40C here and I never wore anything other then my insulated leather gloves. For snowmobiling/snowboarding I usually break out a set of Burton gloves that 8ve had for a long time, but they aren't great when it gets real cold. Mittens are the best when it gets cold, but I'm stubborn and can't stand mittens...

Some of us have hands that do not say warm. Perhaps I have damaged my hands in the past, I can recall one time where my gloves were wet and they kept sticking to the tire chains as I tried to put them on. Finally I took off my gloves and did it bare handed, it was put on the chains or you don't get home. My fingers froze to the chains a couple of times, but not like the gloves. I eventually got home and started a fire in the wood stove. I was younger then. I'd like to think I'm smarter now, but sometimes you got to get it done to make it to tomorrow.

I was kidding. I froze my ears one night real bad, outside of the bar waiting for the taxi. Now my ears are extremely sensitive to the cold. I to like to think I'm older and smarter now.

Tire chains suck. I've thrown my fair share on. I finally started carrying rubber gloves for doing them. Don't get wet and don't stick, but dexterity sucks as well. They work good for grain trailer cranks when hauling in the snow as well.

Go find an old farmer, one working with a tractor without a cab, and see what they are wearing. Or ask at the grain elevator, remember you live in the country now. They have figured out what works and what is cheap. You don't need $150 gloves to keep your hands warm when you are chopping wood or blowing snow. I wear a pair of puffy Carhart thinsulate loves when I plow snow with the tractor or have to work outside. Tips of my fingers stay toastie warm. I don't feel bad if I get them dirty or get diesil fuel on them, just throw them in the washer with a load of jeans. My grandfather, a dairy farmer, worked outside every day. wore yellow chore glowes and when it really got cold wore a pair of brown jersy gloves under them, bought them by the dozen. Of course here in northern Michigan we don't get as cold as you do . Now skiing (I don't) may be different.

Tim

gahi wrote:I used (when I lived in 6 mos of winter) mulitple sets of Kinco's. with elastic cuff to keep the snow out. Usually one set on the heater drying, or in my inner coat pockets.

Kinco gloves from CAL Ranch is all my buddy wears in the winter. We were fat biking a couple weeks ago, -2F and he’s totally fine in few thin layers. I swear he is a polar bear or something.

Insulated leather gloves and mitten shells from the army surplus used to be my cold weather work glove. I frost bit my face a few years ago so I hesitate to go out for long when it’s too far below zero. I thankful we don’t see deep freeze temps around here.

denalipilot wrote:Surprised you didn't go in for the Give'r gloves- my feeds have been flooded by them lately. I almost did, but they were sold out. However I have since heard that they're over-hyped.

I bought a pair of the 4 season waterproof gloves. They’re certainly not waterproof and they’re not very warm. I complained because mine leaked moderately at the fingers. They sent me a new pair and told me to keep the leaky ones. The new pair they sent me leaked just as bad. They’re absolutely not even remotely waterproof. They’re advertised as being 100% waterproof. I complained again and got a refund (they didn’t want the gloves back). I fell victim to the hipster marketing.

Another vote for the Dachstein wool mittens. I used to go ski camping in -35 with them. Not comfortable, but also not bad.

Nowadays I use some cheap gloves with hand warmer pockets. I use the cheap ferritic packs on wool cutaway gloves for things that require dexterity, like wiring or whatever, and heavy gloves with reusable sodium acetate snappers for turbo warmups when on a lift or whatever. I think I have maybe 30 bucks into those gloves and another 30 into the acetate packs.

The heat keeps the arterial blood warm to keep even the fingertips warm, and keeps the veins in the back of the hand warm to suppress the vasoconstriction reflex to keep arterial flow going.

It's also useful for some people with Reynaud's for similar reasons.

You can give it a whirl for very little money invested. Keeps intrepid snow kids happier also, but just the hands. For feet, electric socks for kids are great.

The refrigiwear cowhide freezer gloves work well. When I used to spend time outside on the north slope these were some of the go to gloves. They are relatively inexpensive and worth a try. I’ve never skied in them though. I typically use the hesta gloves for skiing at resorts. Back county I use a lighter glove skinning up and then heavier resort gloves on the decent.

https://www.refrigiwear.com/product/cow ... A&size=XLG

-35? You should have moved to Fairbanks!
Lots of good info here already, Denali has it down (no pun intended).
Leather is a poor insulator. Not sure how cows survive in the rain or winter but leather really conducts cold. There may be no other choice for a work glove to get them to last however. Make sure whatever you do the gloves are not snug. I recommend simple polypropylene liners in either a glove or mitten. Lots of people complain of cold hands and feet and don't wear a hat. We sell tons of gloves. OR is probably the warmest although warm gloves are bulky and thus defeat the purpose. Gordini makes some good ones too. The Hestra gloves have a great fit but no magical insulation. Actually I don't think there is or can be a huge difference in insulation, there isn't room for much bulk on a glove, I think you get better fit and durability mainly.

I was in Fairbanks this last weekend clearing a roof at -40. I had not really been out in that for years. Not bad once you got moving. I sure wish with all the insane military spending they would bring back good Bunny Boots. How about one less F-35 for a good run of them from Bata???

Good advice so far. Early in my time in interior Alaska, I frostbit my fingers….long story. Result is my hands get cold fast.

Others have offered lots of ideas. Gloves suck, but the lack of dexterity of mittens sucks worse. Bottom line is, both are needed in real, no shit cold. Gloves for functionality, mitts for warming.

Big wild card: Stock up on cheap “hand warmers”. If you’re going to be outside a while pop two open and put one in the palm of each glove (not mitten). Now, when finger tips get cold slide those fingers back into the palm and hold them to the warmer packet. Voila! Note that this requires relatively loose insulated gloves. But, you’ve already figured out that loose gloves actually insulate best anyhow.

Now, in a longer term survival or potential survival scenario, you’d best have those serious mittens on a lanyard round your neck.

But, for cold chores and fun, stock up on hand warmers. It’s okay to cheat.

MTV